


Birthday Revelations

by Onecelestialbeing



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Awkward First Times, F/M, First Time, Human InuYasha (InuYasha), Inuyasha in current times, Inuyasha tries kaiten-zushi, Loss of Virginity, Oral Sex, Protective InuYasha (InuYasha), There is also understated fluff because why not, They actually do stuff in Kagome's time, Tsundere Inuyasha
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:00:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28781643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onecelestialbeing/pseuds/Onecelestialbeing
Summary: Kagome returns home to celebrate her birthday and invites Inuyasha to join her. He is reluctant for unknown reasons but surprises her in more ways than she expected.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 12
Kudos: 72





	1. Chapter 1

An early morning bath led Kagome to realizing there had been a shift in dynamic between herself and Inuyasha.

The group had just completed a long journey, and Kagome refused to change into clean clothes without rinsing the dirt and dust that clung to her hair and skin. Of course, Inuyasha would have pitched a fit had she asked them to wait for her to bathe during the midst of their trip, so waking up ahead of everyone else before the voyage back to Kaede’s village was the only peaceful option.

Besides, it was a sure way to avoid lecherous stares from Miroku.

Sure, she'd also caught Inuyasha trying to peek at her before, but a well-timed "sit boy!" was the only thing needed before his amber eyes could see too much. He tried to deny the fact that he'd been peeking, but Kagome knew better.

 _Ack, this water is freezing!_ Kagome thought mournfully as she tiptoed her way into the cold river. _Not that I'd ever admit this out loud, but I think I almost prefer Inuyasha peeking at me instead!_

Kagome rushed the process of soaping and rinsing her body, opting to leave her hair last. She was in the middle of rinsing out the shampoo when she noticed a glint of red out the corner of her eye. At first, she continued bathing as though Inuyasha wasn't a few feet away, hovering in a tree.

Standing up and shivering as cold air hit her already cold body, Kagome folded both arms across her chest. The frigid temperature made her nipples blatantly erect, and she felt self-conscious even though her back was turned to the supposed-to-be-hiding hanyou. But finally, Kagome threw caution to the wind and turned around, eyes focused on the water while still covering her breasts as she was too shy to completely reveal herself.

Habit made her know that if she were to yell at Inuyasha for spying on her, he'd go red in the face, spluttering and swearing as he fell from the tree. Yet curiosity made her wonder how he would react if she were to discreetly allow him to take in his fill of her partially revealed naked form.

Kagome held her breath when she heard the tree rustle slightly, knowing that it likely meant Inuyasha had jumped away. But when she looked up, she saw him standing at the river's edge, his eyes completely transfixed upon hers.

Her mouth went dry as she slowly lowered both arms, exposing her naked breasts while maintaining eye contact with Inuyasha. She was sure the motion made him gulp, and Kagome was surprised that he had yet to flee. The stare traveled lower and Kagome shivered, knowing the sudden goosebumps covering her from head to toe had little to do with the temperature of the river.

A sudden noise broke the two out of their reverie; Inuyasha's ears pricked up as he honed in on the sound, and he darted away without a word. Kagome had ducked back into the water, leaving only her head exposed.

 _Well, that was interesting,_ she mused, wondering what was going to happen next.

* * *

They arrived at the village that afternoon, and it didn’t take long for Inuyasha to disappear. Hours later he was nowhere to be found and Kagome wondered if she embarrassed him and sent him into hiding. When he finally returned before sunset carrying twice the usual amount of fish he’d catch, the others forgot about his absence.

All but Kagome.

She was grateful for the extra food but found it difficult to swallow while sitting across from the hanyou, who seemed so distracted that he almost didn’t notice Shippo trying to steal an extra portion.

“What did I tell you?” Inuyasha yelled, hitting the kitsune atop his head.

“Kagome, he’s being mean to me!” Shippo cried, running over so she could examine his injury.

“Here, Shippo, you can have some of mine,” Kagome told him, handing him the last bit of fish she was unable to finish. Shippo stuck out his tongue at a glowering Inuyasha, ducking behind Kagome when the hanyou moved as though to grab him.

The rest of supper was uneventful. Inuyasha still refused to make eye contact with her and disappeared again, though Kagome watched this time to see where he went.

For reasons known only to him, he opted to sleep in a tree that night. It wasn’t a big deal, as he sometimes preferred to sleep outdoors, but Kagome knew better.

“Did you two have an argument or something?” Sango asked Kagome as they were settling down to bed later that night. “He’s been weird all day.”

“Not exactly,” Kagome sighed, unzipping her sleeping bag. “We had a bit of a weird encounter this morning when he saw me bathing in the river.”

“He’s acting like this just because he saw you bathing? What a child.”

“Yeah, I know,” Kagome joked, forcing a laugh as she lay down.

She was grateful when Sango had no more to say on the subject, because she lay on her mat and was asleep almost instantly.

Kagome lie awake for a long time. Shippo was at her head, having fallen asleep while mumbling about all the fish he’d eaten for supper. He wouldn’t awaken if she moved, and Kagome pushed back the top of her sleeping bag and stood up.

She still felt on edge regarding Inuyasha, and couldn’t get to sleep without him nearby.

The night air felt uncomfortable cool after being confined to the warmth of her sleeping bag, and Kagome shivered when she stepped on the other night of the bamboo mat. She scanned the area, trying not to look as though she was looking for her idiot in red, but then a blur caught her eye and she saw his figure in the moonlight, making his way toward her.

“Gotta pee?” he asked his customary tactless manner.

“No,” Kagome shook her head, wrapping both arms around her torso and fighting back a tremble. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“So you decided to come out in the cold again and get yourself sick? That’s smart,” Inuyasha grumbled, removing his fire rat in one fluid motion and tossing it around Kagome before she had the chance to protest.

“Thank you…”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but noticeably hesitated. She knew what she wanted to say, yet being enveloped in his robe with his comforting scent clinging to the fibers made her task more difficult. Now it was Inuyasha’s turn to protest, and she blurted out her next sentence before he could talk.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

There was no fury or annoyance to her words, merely confusion and a trace of sadness.

That morning, Kagome had been confused by Inuyasha’s reaction. Now that she time to ponder, she construed his reaction as rejection, and assumed he didn’t look at her the way she wished.

“What? Who said I was avoiding you!?”

“I’m not stupid, Inuyasha. I know when I’m being ignored,” she replied, uncaring if her voice shook. “You’ve barely looked me in the eye all morning, and now you can’t stand to be in the same room as me.”

“Kagome it’s… It’s not what you think.”

He sounded tired, as though wanting to explain further without hurting her feelings.

 _Oh, it is what I think,_ Kagome thought bitterly. _You’re still hung up on your ex and I’m the fool who fell in love with you and Kikyo probably wouldn’t have done what I did and now you don’t know how to deal with me because I’ve made things awkward._

The more Kagome raged internally, the sillier she felt. Usually she loved wearing Inuyasha’s robe; it made her feel secure, knowing that he was essentially sharing part of his lifeline to protect her. But right now it smelled too much like him and to make matters worse, Inuyasha stepped closer to her now and Kagome felt as though she was choking on his scent. She swallowed and realized her mouth was bone dry. Just as she felt hot and flustered all over, equally hot tears sprang to her eyes.

There was no way she could handle getting berated for crying in front of Inuyasha right now. She felt silly enough already and her aching heart and pride would not stand another blow.

“Thanks for letting me borrow this,” she told Inuyasha, tugging the robe from her shoulders and handing it to him without meeting his gaze. He took it back without a word but confusion remained on his face. “Goodnight.”

Kagome didn’t expect Inuyasha to stop her as she turned back to go inside the hut, and she was glad he did not because her tears finally spilled down her cheeks the moment looked away. Still, part of her wished he made the attempt.

* * *

"I need to go home for a few days," Kagome icily told Inuyasha the next day during breakfast.

"What for?" he immediately snapped, their odd encounter from last night still fresh on his mind. "What's so important that you have to leave now of all times? We still can't find Naraku, and maybe you've forgotten but there are more jewel shards that need to be found."

Kagome’s already frail nerves had been long worn long thin, and crying herself to sleep while trying to muffle her sobs hadn’t helped matters. On top of it, she slept in an awkward position and woke up with an awful crick in her neck. The teary-eyed young woman from the night before was gone, and in its place was one who was absolutely fed up.

 _"WELL I'M SORRY FOR WANTING TO CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY WITHOUT BEING HUNTED BY DEMONS!"_ Kagome shouted back, jumping to her feet. "You ruin everything!" With that, she stormed out the hut.

Miroku, Sango and Shippo were witness to yet another lover's quarrel, and the adults chose to focus on their meal of rice and fish. Shippo, on the other hand, looked as though he was ready to fight Inuyasha.

"You're so mean!" the kitsune shouted, banging his fists on the floor and nearly tipping over his bowl. "Kagome can celebrate her birthday if she wants! You're not the boss of everyone."

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha replied mockingly, thrusting a hand with extended claws in Shippo's direction. "Says who?"

Shippo yelped and darted behind Sango, followed by a swift escape out the hut.

"Inuyasha—" Miroku began calmly, only to get interrupted by a disgruntled Inuyasha.

"Don't you start," Inuyasha began, but Miroku interrupted him right back.

"I was merely going to explain that Kagome likely wants to spend her birthday with family."

"Oh, so what are we then?!"

"You're so defensive, and for no good reason," Sango told him, shaking her head. "Kagome deserves a break and while we're on the subject, _we_ could do with a bit of rest."

"Keh, who can think about rest when there are demons on the loose?"

"There haven't been attacks for a few days now," Sango pointed out. "And even if there are, we'll handle it. Now go tell Kagome that you don't mind if she goes home for a few days. She needs it more than you realize. And _be nice._ "

Inuyasha bristled at being told what to do, but he kept quiet. He huffed about for a few minutes before making a dramatic exit, slapping the door covering out his way so hard it hit the wall.

Miroku and Sango sighed and shook their heads in unison.

* * *

Inuyasha walked, mumbling angrily to himself while simultaneously sniffing out Kagome's scent. He sniffed until it got stronger and stopped when he saw Kagome sitting in the grass, angrily pulling up blades with her back against a tree. Shippo was in her lap, doing his best to comfort her in his childlike way.

"Inuyasha can be so mean but I think it's because he gets sad when you go away," he heard Shippo explain. "He'll never admit it because he's scared or something, I guess."

Inuyasha felt his face going red. He wanted to punch Shippo square in the head but knew Kagome wouldn't allow it.

"Go away. I need to talk to Kagome," Inuyasha brusquely interrupted after stalking up behind the two.

"I thought I could smell you!" Shippo yelled at their sneering friend. "Did you come to be mean to Kagome again? What do you want, to make her cry again?"

_So I guess Shippo heard me._

"Will you shut up and get out of here!"

Inuyasha had just reached over to pluck Shippo by the hair or tail, as he was prone to, but the look on Kagome's face made him change his mind.

"It's okay, Shippo," she told him kindly. "Thank you for cheering me up. Go finish your breakfast and I'll be there soon."

Shippo remained dubious but stood up anyway. Just as he got far away from the two, he stuck out his tongue at Inuyasha.

"Leave him alone before I make you S-I-T!" Kagome threatened when Inuyasha looked ready to pounce.

That three-letter word was enough to make him pipe down, yet Inuyasha continued scowling.

"So uh, when is your birthday?" he finally asked, looking across the fields.

"In two days."

"Oh."

There was a stretch of uncomfortable silence before Kagome spoke again.

"I was hoping you'd come with me." She sounded hesitant, as if worried he would tell her no.

Two furry ears stood at attention, and Inuyasha turned to Kagome with his mouth hanging open.

"Really?" he asked, a tinge of suspicion coloring his voice.

"Um, yes?" Kagome answered, brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are you so surprised?"

"What do you want me there for?"

"To celebrate my birthday with me, what else? Plus there's a new moon, and I figured you could spend your human night at my house. Mom, Sota and Gramps are going away for a few days but they're going to be there the day of my birthday. No one'll be around to gawk at you if you're worried."

"Keh, I'm not worried. I don't care who looks at me."

"So does that mean you'll come?"

"I guess; if you want me to."

_"Don't do me any favors, Inuyasha!"_

_"I'll be there!_ Damn, you don't need to bite off my head!"

“Thank you. Now go away before you ruin my mood.”

 _Ruin your mood? Isn’t it already ruined?_ Inuyasha thought, but knew better than to ask aloud.

* * *

It took forever to find a moment when Sango was alone. If Miroku wasn't hanging off her arm, Shippo was there and Inuyasha wanted to speak to her without anyone else offering commentary.

Opportunity finally struck later that day. Miroku had been his usual perverted self and tried to feel up on Sango, and she'd left him with a reddened cheek before stalking off in the opposite direction. Inuyasha found her beneath a tree, still fuming but gently stroking Kirara who was napping in her lap.

"Why can't he ever hold my hand?" Sango fumed the moment she saw Inuyasha. “You don’t grope Kagome at every turn. Why can’t he do the same?”

Inuyasha had not been expecting that outburst and there was an awkward moment of silence before he was able to speak.

"Hey, uh, I need to ask you something."

"Yes?" Sango answered, going from angry to visibly disturbed by the change in Inuyasha. He was calm—almost too calm—and it worried her.

"I should give Kagome something for her birthday, right?"

"It would certainly be nice if you did," she replied, completely floored by that question she had not expected. She tilted her head and glanced up at an increasingly flustered Inuyasha, waiting patiently to see if he had more questions.

"Well I wouldn't know what to get her," he admitted, looking rather sheepish as he scratched his head. "What should I get her? What do girls like?"

"It varies from woman to woman, but if we're discussing Kagome I think something heartfelt would be best."

" _Heartfelt?_ " Inuyasha looked ready to be sick. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means something from the heart. Something personal," Sango explained. "Kagome isn't the sort who expects something extravagant; your undivided attention would likely be a gift for her, which I don't get. You're so grumpy I don't know how she puts up with you."

Inuyasha stared into space as he lifted a hand to scratch behind his ear. A pensive look came over his face but then he paused, as though an idea came to mind. Seconds later he leapt away without another word, much to Sango's shock.

"You're welcome!" she shouted after him, shaking her head. "Idiot. Thoughtful in his own way, but still an idiot."

* * *

"I wish I could come to your birthday party," Shippo mournfully told Kagome as he walked her to the well. "It's not fair that Inuyasha is the only one who can see where you live."

"It’s not really a party, just dinner with my family,” Kagome said soothingly, yet Shippo remained sad. “How about I bring you back a treat?" That immediately did the trick because Shippo's face lit up.

"Ninja food!"

"Sure! Say, do you happen to know where Inuyasha is?"

Shippo shrugged. "He left early this morning and said he had to do something, but he hit me when I asked where he was going."

 _That jerk!_ Kagome silently fumed, maintaining a fake smile purely for Shippo's sake.

“Tell him I went home if you see him, okay?”

“Okay. Bye, Kagome!”

“You’re so mean, Inuyasha!”

Shippo had been waiting by the well all afternoon for the hanyou and immediately chewed him out the moment he approached.

“What are you going on about now?” Inuyasha retorted, balling up a fist.

“Kagome was looking for you and we couldn’t find you!” Shippo yelped, blue eyes widened as he retreated to safety on the opposite side of the well. “I don’t know about everything you adults do but I do know it isn’t nice to make a girl you like wait around all day.”

“Shut up! Who asked you anyway? And who said I liked her?!”

“If I were you, I’d give her a nice birthday present and tell her I’m sorry,” Shippo continued, peeking around the corner to find Inuyasha pouting, arms folded across his chest.

“ _That’s what I planned on._ Why do you think I’ve been gone all morning?”

“What?”

“If I show you something will you keep your trap shut?”

That question laced with an obvious threat made Shippo step out and warily look up at Inuyasha. The hanyou began digging in his suikan, pulled out a small bundle wrapped in blue and white fabric and tossed it to the kitsune.

“Careful with it!” he warned as Shippo began unwrapping the bundle. “Do you think she’ll like it?” Inuyasha asked, sounding as though he was unsure of himself.

“Yes!” Shippo answered enthusiastically, brandishing the gift in the air. “I think she’ll love it. But don’t forget to say sorry too for being late.”

“I will! Now hand it here, dammit. I need to get going.”

“Here you go!” Shippo bounced over and handed over Kagome’s present. “Will you please tell her I said happy birthday? I didn’t get to tell her when she left on account of her bad mood and all.”

“Yeah, yeah. Later, Shippo.”

* * *

"Where's Inuyasha?" Sota asked, immediately recoiling when he saw the look on his sister's face. "Err, never mind."

Earlier during the day, Kagome had gone out to lunch with Ayumi, Eri and Yuka. They were disappointed to find that Kagome was not accompanied by her ‘adorable biracial friend’. She was having dinner with her family that evening, and secretly hoped to be greeted by a certain half-demon in red. But when she arrived home, the only ones there was her mom, grandfather and brother. 

“I bet he’s with Kikyo,” Kagome said out loud inside her bedroom as she roughly pulled off her socks. “Even on my birthday I’m still second choice. All I wanted was this one thing and I can’t even have that. It’s not fair!”

Kagome flopped down on her bed and began crying out of frustration. She felt alone and dejected, and to make matters worse Buyo was nowhere to be found. Cuddling her beloved cat would have helped, but apparently the feline had better things to do.

She felt silly for breaking down on what was meant to be a happy day, but her tears wouldn’t stop. Her brain told her that she ought to get over Inuyasha, but her heart yelled the opposite.

She loved Inuyasha and there was no denying that. Kagome thought it would have been obvious to him, considering that she’d taken an arrow for him without question. He yelled at her and demanded to know why, and Kagome pointed out that he’d saved her life countless times before slipping into unconsciousness.

The sensible part of her brain said that she should take into account his reactions when he thought she was dead, but Inuyasha refused to actually come out and admit explicitly how he felt about her. Just once would have been nice, and it would have given her some reassurance each time she argued with herself about returning to his time when he was so wishy washy.

 _Now I'm **definitely** not speaking to him! _Kagome seethed inwardly, wiping her face dry as she stomped her way to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Throwing a mini tantrum in her bedroom seemed to help a bit, and Kagome felt a bit calmer by the time she went back downstairs to join her family. She almost fell over from shock when she went into the living room and saw the idiot she loved sitting there, a purring Buyo stretched across his lap and enjoying a head scratch.

"Yo," Inuyasha greeted, sounding so casual that Kagome had to fight back the urge to 'sit' him, even though he was already sat.

"Dinner's ready!" Mrs. Higurashi announced, completely unperturbed by the look on her daughter’s face.

Kagome's mother had prepared all her favorite dishes for her birthday, and Inuyasha inhaled every bit of the large portions set down in front of him. He was actually polite when Mrs. Higurashi offered him a second piece of cake, and Kagome was almost suspicious at his behavior.

Once everyone was done eating, Kagome was given her presents. Not long after, Mrs. Higurashi announced that she was going to turn in, and shrewdly suggested that Grandpa and Sota do the same. Sota wanted to stay downstairs with Kagome and Inuyasha, but Mrs. Higurashi said she’d make them all a nice breakfast in the morning.

Grandpa was ready for bed, having eaten himself into a food coma. He was the first to leave the dining room table.

“What was that about?” Inuyasha asked, working on his third piece of cake.

“Mom wanted to give us privacy,” Kagome explained, putting her presents into a neat pile. “Also she wanted to let you know that you were welcome to stay. As for Sota, well, he loves having you around.”

“Hmph. I don’t see why but okay.”

“Inuyasha…” Kagome sighed. “Because you’re part of this family, that’s why.”

Just before he turned his head, Kagome could see that his face had gone red. He was pleased by her statement although he would never admit it.

"I didn't think you were going to come,” Kagome confessed once they had gone upstairs. She and Inuyasha were seated side by side on her bedroom floor, and she noticed that he seemed more on edge than usual. “I waited all morning for you but I had to meet my friends for lunch and I wanted to change clothes first.”

"Yeah, well..." he mumbled, “I would have been here earlier but I had to get something and it took longer than I expected."

"Oh," Kagome replied softly, staring down at her fingers while feeling awkward at not knowing what else to say. It was clear that her mood instantly changed because Inuyasha immediately got riled up.

“I wasn’t with Kikyo dammit.”

“I never said you were!”

“Yes, you did, I heard you. I didn’t mean to make you cry on your birthday.”

The fact that Inuyasha overheard her entire tirade was mortifying, and Kagome yelped as the blood rushed to her face.

 _“YOU HEARD ALL THAT?!”_ she shrieked, turning away with her hands covering her face.

“Yeah, I did and you’re an idiot if you think you’re second place to anyone! What the hell is wrong with you?”

Inuyasha sounded so offended that Kagome went from embarrassed to pissed off within seconds.

“Me?! What’s wrong with you! You make me feel like I’m going crazy! One minute you’re sweet and I feel like we’re getting closer, then you see Kikyo and you get all distant and it’s like starting over again.”

There was another stretch silence, following by the soft rustling of Inuyasha digging in the folds of his suikan and withdrawing a small fabric-wrapped bundle.

"Here," he said, thrusting it in Kagome's direction without looking at her. “This is why I was late. I told you, _I wasn’t with Kikyo_.”

"Oh! Thank you."

“You don’t need to worry about her, you know.”

“Are you sure?” Kagome asked, no trace of sarcasm in her voice. “I know you still—”

“Let me stop you right there,” Inuyasha interrupted, impatience all over his face. “I’m telling you, there is nothing to worry about. That chapter is closed. Besides, knowing what I know now, it wouldn’t have worked and I’m fine with that.”

Kagome sighed. “If you say so.”

“Why the hell would I want to be with someone who never accepted me as I am? Aren’t you always going on about me not changing?” Inuyasha’s eyes were flashing with irritation at this point, and Kagome suspected that he’d been long harboring resentment for the woman she deemed her rival. “So I don’t want to hear another word about this ‘second choice’ bullshit. Now open your damn gift. I went through a lot of trouble to get it.”

Kagome wanted to thump Inuyasha in the head for fussing at her, but she also wanted to kiss him for giving her the reassurance she’d needed for so long. Instead she carefully unwrapped the bundle and gasped when she found a beautiful hair comb. It was more ornate than anything she owned and reminded her of the antiques Grandpa Higurashi had stored about the shrine.

"My mother had one just like this,” Inuyasha softly told her, still staring off into space. “I had to find someone who could replicate it.”

"Really? It's beautiful," Kagome replied wistfully, running her fingers over the intricate carvings. "Are you sure you want me to have this?”

"Stupid, if I didn't want you to have it, I wouldn't have given it to you!" Inuyasha snapped, now glaring at Kagome. “It took me all morning to find someone to make it just the way I remembered.”

Instead of her usual reaction of snapping back at him, Kagome leaned over and threw her arms around his shoulders.

"Thank you," she whispered, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "I'll take good care of it, I promise."

By now Inuyasha was blushing, and Kagome had pulled back while trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks. She knew her face was likely red as his suikan, and she desperately needed a distraction.

“Ayumi, Eri and Yuka said to tell you hello. I saw them for lunch this afternoon.”

“Hmm. Are those the weird friends of yours I met that day? The ones that called me a bi-something and wanted to touch my hair?”

“Biracial and yes, that was them,” Kagome replied, cringing as she thought about that day. It had taken an hour to scrub her floor and still her bedroom smelled like tea for an entire week.

“That’s nice. Did you have a good lunch with them?”

 _Okay, this is too weird,_ Kagome mused. _Girl, stop it._ _Maybe he’s trying to make an effort because it’s your birthday. Give him a break._

"It was okay, thanks. To be honest I couldn’t wait to get home. Anyway, I'm going to take a shower. Will you still be here when I finish?"

"Uh, do you want me to still be here?"

"What do you think?!"

"Dammit wench, why can't you just say what's on your mind?!"

 _"Yes, I want you to be here when I finish._ Happy?!"

"Now, was that so hard?" Inuyasha asked smugly, folding his arms across his chest. "Go take your shower."

Kagome was taken aback for a moment but quickly recovered. She rushed her shower and threw on clean pajamas, eager to get back to her...boyfriend? She didn't know what to call him. But she was relieved when she returned to her bedroom and found him sitting on her bed, back against the wall and Tessaiga at his shoulder.

"You could have made yourself more comfortable than that," Kagome told him, rearranging the bath towel around her damp hair as she plugged in her hair dryer and sat at her vanity.

"This is comfortable."

"Okay."

Kagome dried her hair and used her new comb when she was done. Inuyasha's amber eyes remained on her the entire time, and she was surprised to not feel self-conscious about it. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was sure there was a fissure of pleasure in his eyes as he watched her use his gift.

"I'm not sleeping on the floor or the edge this time," Kagome said threateningly once she was through with her hair, perching one knee in the center of the bed. "Move over."

"No. You sleep on the inside," Inuyasha told her, springing up from the bed with Tessaiga still slung over his shoulder. "Well? Hurry up! I ain’t got all night."

"Um, why do I need to sleep on the inside?"

"Why do you think, dummy?! If something or someone tries to attack us, I need to be on the outside."

"All right!" Kagome acceded, lifting the blankets and sliding in until she was against the wall. "Will you stop yelling before you wake up everyone?"

Inuyasha grumbled but he remained silent as he moved into bed next to Kagome. She somewhat resented that he chose to remain on top of the blankets, but reasoned that trying to stuff the voluminous folds of his suikan and hakama underneath would have been too much work.

 _On second thought, maybe it's better this way,_ Kagome thought as she turned over to face him.

No sooner than she arranged her head comfortably on the pillow, Inuyasha began grumbling again and sat upright. There was a clink of his sheathed Tessaiga softly hitting the headboard, followed by the rustling of fabric and clinking of his nenju beads.

"So much for being attacked in the middle of the night," Kagome joked when she felt the heavy fire rat robe falling somewhere between them. Inuyasha lay back down with both arms folded beneath his head, apparently having zero qualms about sharing her pillow.

"Keh. Be quiet and go to sleep," Inuyasha chided softly, slipping an arm over Kagome's shoulder as she moved her head closer to his.

Kagome fell silent but she could not fall asleep just yet. This wasn't the first or even second time she'd laid her head against Inuyasha and felt his soft linen hadagi on her cheek. But it was the first time they were properly sharing a bed together as the first time Inuyasha stayed the night, he'd taken over her entire bed and she had to fight for a bit of space at the foot. Her thoughts toward the hanyou hadn't been so loving at the time, and she would have sat him to the center of the earth that morning had she been able to stop yawning.

As for now? She felt wired yet relaxed at the same time, which was an odd sensation. Resting in Inuyasha's arms was thrilling in more than one way, yet his scent and the sound of his steady breathing filling the silence of her dark bedroom was soothing. She didn't want the night to end and tried her best to stay awake, but closed her eyes as it was silly to keep them open in the dark.

"What's wrong, Kagome? Can't sleep?"

“How do you know I’m awake?”

“You’ve been around me for all this time and think I don’t if you’re awake or asleep?” There was more soft clinking of Inuyasha’s beads of subjugation as he moved slightly. “If you must know, I can tell by your breathing. Now answer the question: can’t sleep?”

"Not really," she admitted, shifting a bit beneath the blankets.

Kagome felt a claw-tipped hand at the back of her head, and followed the silent instructions to lay on his chest. The fingers that were capable of destruction with a single swipe were now carefully picking through her hair and gently scratching her scalp. Kagome was unaware of the sigh that escaped her lips, and her entire body went limp from the pleasurable sensations.

“Today was, uh, nice. Thanks for inviting me.”

Of all the words to break silence with, those were the last ones Kagome expected to hear. Inuyasha was rarely prone to fits of ‘mushy stuff’ as he called it, but perhaps he didn’t mind as they were alone.

“I’m glad you were here. I like it better when you’re with me.”

“Yeah, me too.”

There was a question burning in Kagome’s mind, and she hoped her curiosity wouldn’t ruin the mood.

“Inuyasha?”

“Yeah?”

“How did you celebrate your birthday when you were little?” His hand paused for a moment and Kagome immediately regretted her question. “I was just curious; you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

Inuyasha was quiet for a while, perhaps as though remembering something, but his fingers continued their movements over her scalp.

“Demons don’t really celebrate birthdays but… Mother was human. She and I would spend the morning making my favorite sweets. She’d let me eat anything I wanted on my birthday and we made everything together. Everyone thought that strange because she was a hime and there were servants to do that sort of thing, but she insisted that we make everything together.”

Inuyasha’s voice had grown soft while reflecting upon his mother, and it caused something to twist in Kagome’s heart. 

"Thank you for sharing that with me. She seemed like a wonderful mom,” Kagome said wistfully.

“She was,” Inuyasha replied. Now he was twirling large sections of her hair around his finger, winding it a few times before tugging gently at her roots, then moving onto a different section.

The effect this touch had on her body was instantaneous; Kagome knew she was going to be asleep within seconds and hoped she wouldn’t drool on his chest.

Did you learn this from your mother too?" she asked, her words almost slurred.

"Yeah, sort of. I had trouble sleeping at night and she'd do this. Now quit asking questions before I stop."

His fingers continued moving the entire time, and Kagome suspected that he had no intentions of stopping. But she was not about to test that theory, and it wouldn't have mattered anyway because she lasted all of two seconds before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

As Kagome slept peacefully in his arms, Inuyasha thought back to their conversation a few minutes ago.

The truth was at first, he’d felt somewhat sad when Kagome invited him to her birthday dinner. It had been years since anyone celebrated his birth, and it stirred up too many repressed feelings of loneliness and rejection. However, the moment he came through the well and stepped into the Higurashi home, Kagome’s mother hugged him and told him that dinner would be ready in a half hour or so. Sota’s face had lit up upon seeing him and immediately wheeled him into a short round of kicking around a thing he called a soccer ball. Grandpa greeted him in his usual nonchalant manner, but was welcoming nonetheless.

Without realizing it, Inuyasha had quickly become part of the Higurashi family and he slowly came to terms with accepting that his presence was wanted and expected.

It also just dawned on him that he didn’t mind talking about his mother to Kagome. The memory of losing her still hurt like hell, but somehow it was cathartic whenever Kagome mentioned her.

Inuyasha ended up falling asleep shortly after, his hand still buried in Kagome’s hair. Right before his eyelids crashed shut, he vowed to have another piece of her birthday cake later that day.


	2. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha and Kagome are two halves of one whole idiot and I love them so much. Thank you for your reviews and kudos! 
> 
> (Also for anyone watching Yashahime, they are KILLING me with the roundabout plot.)

By morning Inuyasha still remembered the cake, but Mrs. Higurashi made him eat a proper breakfast and told him he could have junk food later. Kagome bit back a laugh when she saw Inuyasha’s ears droop slightly, but they perked up a bit when a bowl heaped with pickled radishes accompanying his breakfast was set down in front of him.

"I wish you were coming with us," Sota told his sister the next morning during breakfast.

"Where’re you going?" Inuyasha asked through a mouthful of rice and radish.

"To visit with Grandpa's cousin," Sota answered. "What are you going to do while we're gone? Look for more jewel shards?"

"The only thing I'm going to do, dear brother, is put my feet up and take as many naps as possible," Kagome told him while pointedly staring at Inuyasha. 

"I don't see why I need to go either," Grandpa chimed in, sounding rather mournful. "I'd like to stay home and nap too."

"You don't mean that," Mrs. Higurashi replied. "You haven't seen your cousin in quite some time."

"Yes, and I don't mind keeping it that way!"

The three had a long journey ahead of them, and Kagome told her mother that she and Inuyasha would see to washing the dishes. After seeing off her family, Kagome sighed happily.

"Between you and me, I'm glad they planned this trip when I wasn't home," Kagome admitted, bending down to scratch Buyo. “I meant it when I said I needed to catch up on sleep.”

“I don’t know why. You act like I’m some sort of slave driver.”

“Resting there is not the same as resting here and you know it,” Kagome shot back. “Besides, chances of being attacked by a demon in my time are slim to nil.”

Inuyasha knew Kagome had a point; while he was hellbent on finding Naraku and the rest of the sacred jewel shards, there was something to be said for Kagome’s time. For one, he felt less tense than usual. Sleeping and not merely closing his eyes while trying to remain alert in case demons crossed their path was also a pleasant change.

Plus he was quickly becoming attached to Kagome’s comfortable bed.

“Mom left us some lunches,” Kagome told Inuyasha later that afternoon. He’d asked her to put on the ‘magic box’ and he’d been captivated by the screen. In between watching cartoons he’d played with Buyo while Kagome lingered nearby with a pile of magazines.

“Ninja food?”

“No, freshly prepared food but she did also leave some broth. We can have ramen for supper if you like. Actual ramen, not the dried stuff you add water to.”

Inuyasha frowned as it was habitual for him to complain about everything, but he truly didn’t mind. Mrs. Higurashi was an excellent cook and there was nothing she prepared that he did not like.

The two took a walk around the shrine grounds before going back to Kagome’s house for lunch. It turned out that she meant it when she told Sota she planned on napping; Inuyasha had been captivated by the magic box again when he glanced over to find Kagome asleep on the floor, using her folded arms as a pillow.

He thought she was warm enough in her fuzzy pink shirt and weird pants, but draped his suikan over her anyway. Kagome sighed and without opening her eyes, murmured his name before snuggling further into the furry fabric. Inuyasha was shocked for a moment, but recovered long enough to run his hand over Kagome’s head briefly before going back to his show.

Once upon a time he would have complained about wasting time to sleep, but now he knew better. He’d never let her know, but the last time she fell sick he’d felt guilty and responsible for her illness. How many times had he pushed the group, stating they could continue going? Thankfully Miroku and Sango put a foot down, stating they were human and needed to stop. Kagome, on the other hand, barely complained even if it was justified and Inuyasha knew that was how she’d fallen ill.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Kagome apologized when she awoke a few hours later. She sat up to stretch and rub her eyes. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep for so long.”

“Why are you apologizing for sleeping?” Inuyasha asked, wrist deep in a bag of potato chips. “Damn. I think that’s the last of the dried potatoes,” he said mournfully, tipping the empty bag up to his mouth to eat the remaining crumbs.

“You were probably bored while I slept. And we can get more tomorrow. I hope you didn’t fill up on chips; remember I promised you ramen.”

“I wasn’t bored. Buyo kept me company and I looked at those strange books of yours.”

“Strange books?” Kagome echoed, peering down to see what Inuyasha meant. “Oh, my magazines?”

“Yeah. I didn’t know people painted their faces blue and purple in your world. I’ve only seen red coloring. I did like the pictures of food though.”

“Makeup comes in all different colors now, and I’m not surprised you liked the food. Speaking of which, want to help me with supper? You can tell me what you want in your ramen.”

Inuyasha turned out to be more helpful than she expected, and it didn’t take long to finish everything. He’d just finished slurping down the last bit of broth when the sun went down, causing the clawed hand curved around the bowl to transform into a human one with short, blunt nails.

“Damn,” he swore, glancing from his hands down at his now black hair. “Another night of this shit.”

Inuyasha’s mood immediately turned surly after that, and he refused to be pacified. The cat, however, was not perturbed by the change and wasted no time wriggling his way into the young man’s lap. Inuyasha continued pouting, but still gave his beloved cat attention.

“I understand how you feel,” Kagome told Inuyasha later on when she finally grew tired of his attitude.

Inuyasha continued moping long after his sunset transformation, and he'd parked himself on the living room floor with Buyo after dinner and went back to watching the ‘magic box’.

“Do you? That’s hilarious,” he scoffed, head propped up by one hand.

“Well okay, I’ll admit not exactly. But it’s only for one night. At least you don’t get—and I can’t believe I’m about to say this—a period. Those can last a week and let me tell you, they absolutely suck.”

Inuyasha paused and turned to look at Kagome. “What’s a period?”

“They’re—ugh, why did I even bring this up!” she yelped in mortification. “It’s when… Okay, you know how you smell blood on me every month, even if we haven’t been in a fight? And usually I have to stop more often than usual?”

“Yeah…”

“And I’m always looking for a hot spring around that time?”

“Yeah…”

“Well, that’s why.”

“Oh… Where do you bleed from anyway?

“Inuyasha!”

“What?!”

“Where do you think?!”

“I don’t know, dammit! I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t know.”

“You know where babies come out of, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Well, you have your answer.”

“Okay, dammit, you win! A week of bleeding sounds miserable. I guess that’s why you’re usually so crabby around then.”

Kagome gave a dry laugh. “You’re one to talk! But you’re right, a week is a long time but that’s the price you pay if you’re not pregnant.”

Inuyasha look traumatized at that point and Kagome was shocked that someone of his age didn’t know about menstruation, but then remembered that this was Inuyasha, the same one who was brilliant in some ways and clueless in others.

"Look, I know you don't like your human nights, but I really think a bath would help you relax," Kagome pressed, watching Buyo as he batted his paws at the ends of Inuyasha's dark hair. "There’s a reason why I mentioned the hot springs. Besides, you're not getting into my bed with those dirty feet."

"Hey!" Inuyasha was thoroughly insulted as he looked down at his feet, seemingly ignoring his dirt-encrusted soles. "My feet aren't dirty!"

"Oh yes, they are!"

"They are not!" He gestured to his feet with a blunt fingernail. "And I am _not_ getting into that boiling hot thing again! Your brother tried to roast me alive last time!"

"I promise not to make the water too hot."

Inuyasha gave a throaty growl but followed her upstairs. He remained dubious as she got a towel from the cupboard and handed it to him. His sour countenance remained as they made their way to the bathroom, and Kagome had to grit her teeth to keep from telling him off.

They had walked all over the shrine property that day, at his behest, and she meant it when she told Inuyasha that he was not allowed in her clean bed with his feet in their state.

Kagome attempted to set the shower at a lukewarm temperature for Inuyasha and left to give him privacy, but a loud yelp made her dash back down the hall and into the suspiciously steamy bathroom.

"It's too damn hot! I told ya it was too hot!"

A naked Inuyasha was soaking wet and crouched in a corner, giving a clear view of everything while doing his best to avoid the spray of the shower. Bottles of shampoo and body wash were at his feet, lying on their sides, and he was poised as though he was planning an attack against the showerhead.

"What did you do?!" Kagome shouted, averting her eyes while rushing in to fiddle with the knobs, turning off the shower. "You didn't have to touch anything, you know. I left it just warm enough!"

"Clearly you didn't! It nearly burned the skin off my ass!"

"Ugh! You are unbelievable! Fine, I'll be right back."

Kagome went to her room to retrieve two hair ties. There was little forethought as she began undressing and wrapped her nude body in a towel.

 _He's going to freak out but he has to deal with it,_ she told herself.

Just as suspected, she was right–the minute she opened the bathroom door and stepped inside, Inuyasha's face went from pissed off to astonishment.

"W-what are you—"

"Will you relax? It's just a shower. It isn't as though you've never seen me naked before. And besides, I want to get this over with without you shouting the whole time and knocking over everything."

Kagome hung up her towel and resisting the urge to cover herself, walked beneath the shower and turned it back on.

"There, all better," she announced after readjusting the temperature. "Now will you come here? I'll help you wash your hair."

"I can do it myself!" Inuyasha pouted, still crouched in his corner.

Kagome exhaled forcefully and rushed over to him, grabbing him by a damp arm and pulling him up. Inuyasha's amber grey eyes widened at the sight of her naked torso and apparently shock made him compliant, because he stood up without a word and allowed Kagome to shove him beneath the shower.

"How's that?" Kagome asked, standing behind Inuyasha and pouring shampoo into her hand.

"Fine," he mumbled, and Kagome was sure she heard a sigh as she massaged the shampoo into his wet hair and began gently working it into a lather.

After a minute of uncomfortable stretching she made him sit on the little shower stool, and it was hard to keep the lower half of her body from touching his as she stood behind him. But he had no issue with leaning against her legs for support.

By the time she was done—which took more time than she anticipated because his hair was so long—Inuyasha had fallen asleep and Kagome hoped he wouldn't fall off the stool. She had just finished putting it in a high bun for him when he made a soft snuffling sound and jerked against her legs.

"What the—? Oh. Did I fall asleep?"

"Yes, for a bit," she told him. "It's okay; I didn't mind."

"I, uh, I can do yours too. If you want."

Kagome knew if she made a big deal over Inuyasha's oddly largesse offer he would get flustered and change his mind. So she quietly agreed and sat on the stool when he got up.

"Wait, I'll put on the shampoo," she offered, knowing he would likely dump the entire bottle onto her head and cause her to rinse for three hours.

Inuyasha mimicked the movements she used to wash his hair, only they were a bit gentler.

"Hmph, it's probably not as good your work," he admitted, using the shower head to rinse out the shampoo.

"I'm sure it's fine," Kagome answered, fighting back a yawn as she'd also gotten sleepy. Inuyasha had done well—almost too well, going so far as even massaging her neck. The temporary loss of his claws allowed him to deftly work out the knots in her neck and shoulder, and she would have fallen off the stool had Inuyasha not caught her in time.

"I think that's the last of it," he said, awkwardly smoothing his palm over the top of her head. 'I don't know how to put it up like you did mine."

"I can do it, thanks," Kagome replied, using the last hair tie on her wrist and pulling her hair into a high bun.

After a thorough soaping and scrubbing of their bodies, the two shared the bath. By now things were a little less awkward and even a little funny as they both had to sit practically knees to chest to share the tub.

"If you want, tomorrow we can go shopping to get more of your chips and whatever snacks you like," said Kagome, mostly to fill the weird silence. “I also have to get more crayons for Shippo while we’re out.”

Had Inuyasha been in his hanyou form, Kagome was sure his ears would have pricked forward at the mention of snacks. Truth is, she had to stock up anyway before they returned back to his time, but Kagome had promised Shippo sweets. It also didn't help that Inuyasha had just about eaten every bag of potato chips, or dried potatoes as he called them, stashed in the cupboard, something she found out while preparing dinner.

“Yeah, that’ll definitely work,” he replied, flashing her a grin. “Do you think they’ll have those colorful little balls like the ones in your book?”

“Mochi ice cream? Sure, in just about any flavor you can imagine. Hmm, maybe we could take some back for everyone else too.”

Inuyasha let out a slow exhale and lay his head back on the edge of the tub. He looked peaceful, which was a rare sight for Kagome. Suddenly she felt silly about now noticing how relaxed he always seemed when he visited her home.

Since he felt comfortable closing his eyes for a brief rest, Kagome figured that she could do the same without feeling self-conscious. The heat settling into her body was extremely relaxing, and it wasn’t long before Kagome drifted off. Her legs fell slack and straightened beneath the water, fitting alongside Inuyasha’s. The sensation of someone else’s skin against hers made Kagome flinch, and she gasped and rushed to sit up. The movement made Inuyasha’s eyes snap open, and she found him shooting her a curious look.

“Sorry, I fell asleep,” she apologized. “I’m getting out now. Are you coming or do you want to stay in longer?”

“Nah, I’m ready,” Inuyasha replied, climbing out the tub with a large splash.

"Don't you dare!" Kagome shouted when she turned around to find him crouched down, about to shake himself dry like a puppy. "Use this!" She shoved a towel into his hands before rushing to grab hers to cover up.

“Calm down, will ya!” he fussed, snatching the towel and roughly wiping himself.

 _For someone who hates being treated like an actual dog, he sure acts like one sometimes,_ Kagome thought _._

“I left those for you,” Kagome said once they were in her room, pointing at a folded pair of sweatpants on her bed.

“What are they?” Inuyasha asked, picking up the joggers between two fingers and giving them a thorough sniff.

“Joggers,” Kagome replied, her back turned as she struggled to put on underwear while keeping the towel wrapped around her. “I like wearing soft things after I’ve taken a bath… I figured you would too.”

“Oh. Okay.”

 _What a weirdo,_ she sighed to herself, now comfortable with removing her towel and placing it over her hamper to dry.

“What’s that?” Inuyasha had put on the sweatpants and now sat topless and cross-legged on her bed, pointing at the bottle in her hand.

“Hm? Oh, my body lotion. This is what I use to keep my skin from getting dry.”

Kagome sat at her vanity and began applying the lotion to her legs and arms, then standing up to apply it everywhere else she could reach. As she dressed in pajamas she was acutely aware of the dark eyes glued to her body the entire time, although she suspected Inuyasha’s stare had mostly to do with her post-bath ritual. He was also interested in the hydrating toner she applied to her face, and shook his head once she was done.

“You sure do a lot after washing,” he supplied.

“I know, but it makes me feel better. Did you want some lotion too? It doesn’t have a strong scent.”

_“No thank you.”_

“It’s your choice. But it’s your turn now; you can’t go to sleep with wet hair.”

“I don’t care about that,” Inuyasha scoffed, turning his head like a pouting child who was just told it was bedtime.

“Yes, but I do. Not only will you get my bed wet, but you’ll wake up with all kinds of knots and tangles. Just let me dry and comb it for you. I promise it won’t take long.”

Inuyasha continued grumbling, yet his eyes remained glued to Kagome as she took out the hair dryer and plugged it in. He frowned as she sat on the edge of the bed and beckoned him to sit on the floor.

“All this fuss for nothin’,” he groused, all the while settling down between her knees.

“I know, I know, I’m such a horrible person,” Kagome said teasingly, carefully removing the elastic from his hair and smoothing out the damp strands. It took a couple minutes before he was slumped against her legs, quietly enjoying the hum and warm air of the hair dryer aimed at his dark tresses.

How many times had Inuyasha complained about Kagome treating him like a dog? She'd lost count. But one thing was apparent—he definitely enjoyed the attention being given to his hair, although she knew he'd sooner chew off his own arm than to ever admit such a thing. Her touch was exceedingly gentle and she took care to not aim that hot thing at his neck or ears. Whenever she used the comb, she’d cup one hand over an ear so as to avoid it. Usually he loathed anyone touching him or his ears—in hanyou or human form— but each of Kagome’s light touches left his head tingling and immediately made him drowsy.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called softly, smiling as he began snoring against her knee. She brushed her fingers across his fringe and he sighed before nuzzling his nose into her skin.

Kagome was fine with this. It was no secret that Inuyasha took issue with being touched, and that honor was reserved for her. It made her feel good to know that he entrusted her with such a simple but intimate thing.

He looked so peaceful that Kagome figured she'd let him stay there. It took a bit of maneuvering but she managed to use the dryer on her own hair while Inuyasha snoozed against her leg. She was in the middle of picking out a stubborn knot when Inuyasha's body jerked against her.

"What the—did I fall asleep again?" he asked, yawning and stretching while turning around.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Well you looked so peaceful that I figured I'd let you sleep for a bit," Kagome replied offhandedly, preoccupied with her tangled hair.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. What are you doing?"

Kagome exhaled hard and let her hair fall down her shoulder. "I've got knots and I can't get them out."

Inuyasha fluidly rose from the floor and sat next to her on the bed. "Hmm, too bad I don't have my claws now. Okay, it's your turn. You sit on the floor and I'll handle this."

"Do you know how?

“Pfft. It can’t be that hard.”

“Okay. Thank you."

Kagome knew not to make a big deal out of this; Inuyasha was prone to getting easily embarrassed and would quit before getting started. So she quietly sat down and waited for Inuyasha to untangle the knotted chunk in her hair.

To his credit, he managed to get it out without ripping or breaking anything. Now he was combing her hair, and seemed to be taking painstaking care to not be too rough.

Kagome understood why Inuyasha had fallen asleep against her knee. The only other person to ever touch her hair was her mother, and it had been years since that last happened. Having Inuyasha doing this, on the other hand, was completely different. Every time his fingertips brushed against the nape of her neck, Kagome could feel goosebumps along her arms. His touch was equal parts arousing yet relaxing and it made every bit of tension leave her body.

“Finished,” he announced a few minutes later, much to her disappointment.

Kagome’s arousal hadn’t faded by the time she and Inuyasha got into bed, and her restlessness was obvious.

"What's wrong, Kagome? You having trouble sleeping again?"

Kagome shook her head as much as possible while resting against Inuyasha's shoulder. "I guess I could sleep but I don't want to. It's not often that it's just the two of us."

 _Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have drawn attention to that,_ Kagome mused when Inuyasha replied with some non-intelligible grunt.

"Thanks for staying with me," she continued, trying to change the subject.

"Will you stop thanking me?" he chided, shifting his head on the pillow.

"Try and stop me," Kagome challenged, tipping her face up to kiss his cheek. But she managed to catch his lips just as he was turning his head, and immediately her face felt hot. "Sorry," she mumbled, resting her head back down and thanking her lucky stars that her bedroom was dark. There was no way she would live down knowing what Inuyasha's face looked like at the moment.

Sure, they had chastely kissed before but each time that had been under duress. Rare was the moment when they weren't being attacked or fearing for their lives when one or the other dared to make the first move. It wasn't as though Kagome had never thought about it, but Inuyasha tended to run hot and cold at any given time and she was terrified of her advances being rejected.

Thus, she was shocked to the core when she felt her bed dip as Inuyasha turned over to face her and slowly pressed his lips to hers.

This kiss was unlike the others. It was softer, sweeter, and unhurried. They kept their lips closed at first, but Kagome tested their boundaries by flicking out the tip of her tongue.

Apparently Inuyasha didn't mind, because he mimicked her movements and slowly shifted his weight until he was partially atop Kagome. His lips had just skimmed the underside of her jaw when he stopped suddenly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Why, what's wrong?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha shifted his weight again and pressed a hand against her clothed chest. "Your heart seems like it's thumping its way out your chest."

"Wait, you can actually hear that?" Kagome squeaked, feeling hot with mortification as she moved her hand near his.

"Well, yeah but I can also feel it," Inuyasha said in that matter-of-fact way of his. "It's hard to ignore."

"I'm okay," Kagome told him, trying to sound convincing. "I'm just..." her voice trailed off.

_Horny and terrified sounds about right, but there's no way I'm saying **that** out loud!_

Despite being nervous, she did enjoy the kisses and Kagome placed both hands on Inuyasha's shoulders and steered him back towards her. Thankful that he understood her silent hint, she bit back a gasp when his lips moved over the curve of her neck.

Inuyasha was hardly the paragon of patience; for as long as Kagome knew him, he was always brash and the sort to dive in headfirst. But right now he was exceedingly gentle with her, barely allowing his body to press her into the mattress while dropping feather-light kisses all over her face and throat.

There was no holding back that soft moan when his callused fingers hesitantly caressed her hip through her pajamas before slowly reaching beneath.

The feeling of his fingers against a part of her body never touched by another was sublime, but knowing it was Inuyasha's hands on her skin was even sweeter. 

"I can take it off," Kagome offered shyly, wanting to feel more than just her hip being touched.

Inuyasha remained silent but he moved back and helped her to sit up. The bed dipped as he knelt at her side and grasped the hem of her shirt, easing it up and over her head. Before she could ask about the rest of her pajamas he moved to lie on top of her again, and Kagome gasped at the sensation of his warm, bare chest brushing against her naked breasts.

His kisses were more fervent this time, and Kagome felt her senses swiftly spiraling out of control. While things were admittedly awkward, there was definitely a sense of innocent awe on both their behalf.

"That feels amazing," Kagome blurted out when Inuyasha shifted them on their sides again so he could have access to her back. His fingertips traced up and down her spine, as if trying to memorize the feel of her skin.

The sensation was so relaxing that it would have put her to sleep, only the gentle throb steadily growing between her legs would not allow that to happen.

"You feel so soft," he whispered in a tone she never heard before.

His hand was now resting in the dip of her waist, his fingers sometimes smoothing over her still clothed hip. When he began working his way up her bare torso, Kagome noticed that Inuyasha was almost hesitant to touch her breast, and she encouraged him by thrusting herself forward, biting her lip when his palm grazed her nipple.

The erect buds were more sensitive than she realized, and Kagome inhaled sharply when his touch sent a shiver down her spine.

"Was that bad? Should I stop?"

Inuyasha sounded so concerned that she fought back the urge to laugh. His hand had stopped moving, remaining centimeters away from her skin. She would not laugh, however, because he was so sensitive that he'd think she was laughing at him. But the delicious heat from his skin was so far yet so close and she needed more.

"No, that was good. Keep going please."

He kissed her again while continuing his cautious perusal of her body. In the midst of it all Kagome’s head ended up cradled in the crook of Inuyasha’s arm, and they kissed while maintaining this intimate position as his other hand freely explored her body. When he moved between her clothed legs and lightly cupped the area, it sent a jolt of sharp pleasure shooting throughout her stomach and Kagome moaned into Inuyasha's mouth.

By now she was worked up and it overrode her shyness, and she took his hand and directed him to slip it inside her pajama pants.

Inuyasha wasn't prepared for the feel of hair against his fingertips, followed by wet, slick heat but it made him want to explore more.

His entire palm was against her, but he used the flat of his middle finger to slide along her slippery cleft, enjoying the way Kagome's hips jerked when he brushed against a distinct bit of flesh sticking out at the top.

Typically, he hated being in his human state because it left him feeling weak and vulnerable to physical and emotional turmoil. However, at the moment, he had zero complaints.

It was safe to safe that Inuyasha was completely enthralled in this new experience. Kagome was enjoying it as well, but she was so caught up in the feel of hands that were not her own touching her that the only thing she could do was pant and dig her fingers into the sheets beneath her.

Kagome soon found herself in a state of disbelief; the beginning of an orgasm was on the cusp and she was going to come soon and come hard.

It was difficult to keep still and she'd dug her heels into the mattress, desperate to keep Inuyasha's finger against her clitoris. His touch was decidedly different than hers, but it was softer, almost too soft as though he was scared of hurting her, and that left her continuously teetering on the precipice. Thankfully he seemed to understand the need for her writhing, because he continued sliding his now soaked finger over her engorged nub while the rest of his hand cupped her mound. His breathing was just as heavy as hers, and it added to Kagome's arousal.

Her labored breathing grew harsher and faster until suddenly it sounded as though Kagome stopped breathing. For a moment Inuyasha thought he'd hurt her and he nuzzled his face against hers, desperate to know if she was okay. But then she went taut against him and her back arched so sharply that it cracked audibly. Something between a squeak and a scream escaped Kagome's lips as her fingers dug into his back, and he was her only anchor as she dissolved into shudders against him.

Inuyasha hadn’t known what to expect. This entire situation was just as new to him as it was for Kagome, and he was pissed that his human state left him with dulled senses. He did his best to follow Kagome’s body language and so far she seemed agreeable to him touching her, but when she fought back a scream while thrashing about on her bed, clamping her thighs around his hand, he momentarily thought he’d done something bad. Yet seconds after she went completely limp, he knew that was not the case.

"Wait, wait, stop," Kagome pleaded, sounding out of breath a few minutes later when she was finally able to speak again. She reached down with a trembling hand to pull Inuyasha's fingers from her pajamas, and fought with closed eyes to breathe normally once his hand rested on her stomach. "It's your turn," she murmured, burrowing her face into his chest.

"Umm... not necessary," Inuyasha told her between clenched teeth. Although in human state, that part of his senses hadn't dampened that much and he'd become so aroused at Kagome losing control by his hand that he'd erupted against his own thigh. He was embarrassed as hell but now he was thankful for Kagome's tact, because she just told him it was okay before sighing and snuggling closer to him.

Two yawns later and Kagome fell asleep with her arm flung over his chest. Sleeping on his human nights had always made him uneasy, but being near Kagome soothed him enough that he was sure he could rest for a while.

But first, he needed to wash off this sticky stuff coating his thigh before it completely dried against him.

Kagome whimpered in her sleep when Inuyasha painstakingly moved from her grasp, and he left his fire rat robe in her arms as a temporary replacement.

It was easy enough finding his way down the darkened hallway, and he managed to work the light switch in the bathroom. But turning on the sink taps was a different story; he didn't want to break the damn things and risk Kagome yelling at him. He cautiously lifted the lever and breathed a sigh of relief when water began trickling out.

The water was uncomfortably cold and he knew there was a way to make it warmer, but he opted to suck it up and made quick work of washing.

When he returned to Kagome, she was still asleep with her face buried in his suikan and Inuyasha plucked it from her grasp and draped it over her bare shoulders.

"You're still here," Kagome mumbled sleepily. Just as Inuyasha was on the verge of replying with something sarcastic, she told him 'thank you' before kissing his chest.

"Wouldn't be anywhere else," he mumbled, feeling that annoying flush rise to his cheeks again.

* * *

Inuyasha didn’t know how long he slept for, but when he woke up it was still dark. Kagome was sound asleep, curled into his side and using his bicep as her pillow. He was still staring up into the dark, listening to the crickets chirping outside the window when Kagome stirred.

“What is it?” he asked when she sat up.

“I need to use the toilet,” she mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes before clumsily climbing over him and rooting around for her pajama top. 

It was habit for Inuyasha to escort Kagome far enough from their camping site when nature called, and for a moment he forgot they were in her time and not his.

“It’s just down the hall,” she told him, realizing he had grabbed Tessaiga and was about to follow behind. “I won’t be long.”

There was a rumbling sound from Inuyasha’s chest, which she knew was an unspoken agreement.

While Kagome was gone, Inuyasha remained sat upright in bed, anxiously awaiting her return. When the bedroom door opened and closed again, he relaxed and placed Tessaiga down behind him on the bed.

“You didn’t have to wait up for me, you could have gone back to sleep,” Kagome told him, her entire upper body brushing against his as she climbed back into bed.

“Hmph. I know.”

“Still, thank you. And don’t tell me not to thank you,” Kagome hurriedly added, knowing Inuyasha would complain. “I love that you’re always worried about me.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Kagome stopped whatever he was about to say by tilting up her face and pressing her lips to his. Inuyasha seemed momentarily startled but a second later he relaxed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Kagome and pulling her closer.

It wasn’t long before the couple was engaged in a fervent round of kissing and touching.

“It’s my turn now,” Kagome whispered, sliding her palm along Inuyasha’s naked abdomen and reaching to the waist of his sweatpants. “I didn’t get to before.”

“Um, that’s because I… I couldn’t hold back.”

What was he to say, that everything had been too much, too overwhelming, and he lost control in his pants without even being touched? Hell no. There was no way he would admit that out loud. But once again, Kagome knew what to say to calm his fears.

“It’s okay, Inuyasha. I’m not upset. Besides, remind me to tell you later about something similar that happened to me.”

She leaned up, wanting to be kissed again and he obliged but only for a moment before pulling back slightly.

“Tell me now.”

“Ugh, really? I can think of something else I’d rather do right now.”

“Come on, tell me.”

“All right, fine. The first time I… well the same thing happened to me, I had a dream about you. I didn’t understand what happened at the time so I looked it up and… I found that it can happen to girls too.”

“I didn’t know…” Inuyasha was quiet for a moment and then she could almost hear his smile. “So you had dirty dreams about me.”

“Don’t make me sit you.”

“Keh, try it and we’ll both go crashing through your bed and the floor. Good luck explaining a gaping hole in the ceiling.”

Kagome knew he was right; besides, she was only issuing empty threats. She had no intentions of ‘sitting’ him at the moment; the only thing she wanted was to feel him against her again.

Inuyasha got the hint when Kagome looped a finger around his beads and tugged his face toward hers. They resumed kissing, only this time Inuyasha was a tad more aggressive, perhaps from being told that he was the main star in Kagome’s erotic dream.

Kagome was glad Inuyasha hadn’t asked for details about the dream; she remembered most of it in great detail and to repeat it out loud would have been too much for her. But that dream was eerily similar to their current position.

In the dream they were in Kagome’s bed, Inuyasha on top of her, her face between his hands as he covered his in kisses. They’d both been fully dressed although her legs were around his waist, and his hands had been beneath her butt, just like when she rode his back. The only difference was in the dream those clawed hands were inching their way up her skirt, and she had allowed it.

There hadn’t been any actual foreplay or sex in that dream, but seeing his hand between her legs had been enough to send her off the edge, and that orgasm had been strong enough to have Kagome moaning into her pillow in the midst of sleep. It had been enough to wake her and she’d found both hands fisting her pillow, her hips writhing against the bedding. The damp spot where she lay had been enough to alarm her, as she thought perhaps she’d gotten her period in the middle of the night. But after turning on the light and cautiously slipping her fingers into her underwear, she’d been shocked to find them covered in an abundance of clear, slippery fluid.

At the time she’d been aroused without knowing it, and not knowing things made her feel uneasy.

As for right now, aroused was only the tip of the iceberg.

Her legs had practically ensnared Inuyasha’s lower half, and her arms were trapped between them yet pressed to his bare chest. He didn’t seem to mind because he clung to her just as tightly, going so far as to reach down and cup her ass with both hands and press himself against her.

His erection was difficult to ignore, as it pressed through his sweatpants and her pajama bottoms and into a most sensitive spot. That pressure sent a jolt of pleasure shooting throughout her body, and Kagome let out a soft moan.

“Before you ask, yes, this was like my dream but we were fully dressed,” Kagome bit out when his lips veered to her neck.

“You sound disappointed.”

“I think I was.”

That was enough of an answer to Inuyasha’s unspoken question. There was an awkward flurry of movement as Kagome rushed to remove her pajama top, then lay back down to let Inuyasha pull off the bottoms. He then kicked off his sweatpants and pushed everything off the side of Kagome’s bed.

Being completely naked—in Kagome’s case, mostly naked as she still wore her panties— and pressed against one another was a mixture of scary and thrilling for the couple. Kagome was so far gone that she was dizzy and kept her arms around his neck. Inuyasha’s lips barely strayed from hers, for which Kagome was grateful because it was difficult to contain the sounds as his hands began their own exploration.

 _This is way better than my dream,_ Kagome thought as a warm hand smoothed its way across her collarbone, eventually sliding down to graze the top of her breast.

Dream Inuyasha had been a bit more unhinged than the real Inuyasha, but Kagome realized that she preferred this one whose desire and hesitance matched hers. With absolute certainty Kagome knew who she wanted to share herself with, but her experience with boys was slim to nil, and that was not counting all her run-ins with the demon ones.

Of course, none of those counted as the majority of them had tried to kill her or claim her as some sort of possession.

When his hand remained above her breasts, Kagome grabbed his wrist and gently guided his hand lower. She loved him for somehow knowing that despite their earlier encounter, he still allowed her to set the pace and waited to be given permission for each step.

His hands felt good over her clothes, but feeling his somewhat rough palms cupping her bare breasts was sublime.

She wondered if it would feel the same for him and pressed her hands against his bare chest, slowly dragging her fingertips across the sinews until she met his nipples.

Inuyasha let out a small hiss and leaned hard into her touch, and Kagome told herself that it was the same for him.

“You smell so damn good,” he said in a voice much lower than she was accustomed to. Before she could reply Inuyasha buried his face between her breasts, inhaling deeply as his lips traveled to her left nipple.

Kagome didn’t know that part of her body was so sensitive, and she bucked hard against Inuyasha while twisting her fingers in his hair, clutching his head to keep him there. He let out what sounded like a growl, and she felt the vibrations in her chest. It only fueled her arousal and Kagome didn’t try to muffle her moan that time.

She wasn’t the only excited one; Inuyasha moved to the other breast, practically sucking what felt like the entire thing into his mouth while his fingers circled around her other nipple.

Kagome recoiled when her hips moved and caused the sodden seat of her underwear to press against her. She wasn’t sure how far she wanted to go right now, but she did know that she wanted to be touched again without her underwear in the way.

“Inuyasha,” she gasped, squeezing his shoulder to get his attention when he didn’t answer.

“Hmph?” he finally answered, his mouth still full of her breast.

“Let me take these off,” she told him, slightly lifting her hips. “Unless you don’t want me to…” she trailed off when his head rose and peered down at the bit of fabric.

“I can do it,” he told her, sitting back on his haunches and hooking his fingers under the waistband on either side.

Kagome felt her heart racing as she lifted her bottom higher and let him take off her panties. His breathing was just as heavy as hers as he slid both hands up her calves, over her knees and then guided her legs apart.

The bedroom was still fairly dark and Kagome wondered how much Inuyasha could see, as his eyes were focused intently between her thighs.

She supposed that he could see enough, because he wrapped an arm around one thigh and immediately descended upon her moist flesh with the other hand, running his fingers over and through her pubic hair and allowing his thumb to stray lower with every stroke. He wasn’t touching where she needed most, but anticipation had her hips rising to meet those fingers.

"Can I?" Inuyasha suddenly whispered against her knee, the tip of his index finger poised at her slick entrance.

“Yes,” Kagome nervously answered, holding her breath as he eased the thick digit inside. His fingers had more girth in his human form, and the initial sensation made Kagome flinch.

“You okay?”

She mumbled some sort of answer, already in the throes of losing her senses. Apparently that wasn’t a satisfactory response, because Inuyasha withdrew his hand and shifted to lay alongside Kagome.

“Why did you stop?” she asked, a bit breathless.

“Oh, I thought you didn’t like it.”

“I did. You can keep going.”

Inuyasha pressed his lips to hers while reaching down to carefully slipping his middle and ring fingers instead of one this time inside her body.

The immediate fullness made her gasp and grab onto her blankets. Despite being wet, there was somewhat of an adjustment period to the extra digit and Kagome had to force herself to not clamp down on his fingers.

 _So this is what it's like... sort of,_ she mused, biting back a moan when he rubbed a spot that made her toes curl. His palm errantly brushed against her clitoris as he fingered her, and it only served to leave her on edge of needing more. Arousal made her bold because she wound both arms around Inuyasha’s neck, desperate for deeper kisses. She brought her knees to her chest at the same time to give him more access to her body, and that change in position left the heel of his palm flush against where she needed most.

It was harder to tell what was wetter; their kisses or the sound of his fingers moving inside her.

“No fair,” she moaned. “I’m supposed to be touching you.”

“I’m not stopping you.”

“But I can’t reach!”

Inuyasha paused and she felt him move to kneel next to her. That angle was easier for her to reach and as he carefully worked on Kagome, she took hold of his cock in her right hand.

Kagome wanted to outright ask Inuyasha what he wanted her to do, but settled upon listening to his body language. He seemed to like when she gently squeezed his shaft, as well as running her thumb over the tip of his cock on the upstroke. He felt like steel covered in silk, and Kagome wondered what it would feel like against her.

Inuyasha had the same idea because he momentarily pulled away to settle himself between her legs.

Kagome gasped audibly when his hips met hers. He felt enormous against her center, and all that thickness was becoming steadily coated with her arousal. Shyness be damned, Kagome had her knees drawn back while Inuyasha continued grinding against her, eager to keep her making those little noises. But it seemed as though his movements were becoming jerky along with his growing arousal, and his erection slipped out of place and moved too low, coming close to partially penetrating her. He didn’t get far because Kagome screaming his name in panic along with nearly jumping out his arms made his blood go cold.

“Shit! I’m sorry!” he pleaded, brushing Kagome’s hair away from her face. “Are you okay?”

The painful, stabbing throb at her core lingered for so long that Kagome was unable to speak.

“I’m fine,” she reassured him once her panic subsided. “But I think I should use my hand.”

“Use it how?”

Kagome beckoned him closer and reached down to grab his erection. She used her palm to keep him pressed against her core, and Inuyasha understood. His thrusting and grinding against her was more controlled with the use of her hand, and her palm offered another layer of friction. His hands remained on either side of her head, and the mattress shook each time he thrust forward.

Inuyasha steadily became more vocal and it was then that Kagome felt his entire body vibrate against hers. The faint blue of daylight began peeking through the windows, and Kagome instantly realized what was about to happen. Just as his hair turned from black to silver-grey, Inuyasha’s hips surged hard into hers and he grabbed onto her headboard. There was a faint sound of wood splitting and Kagome was afraid he was going to break the thing and have it come crashing down on her head.

“Inuyasha, please don’t break my bed!”

His transformation back to hanyou form was complete, and his movements were less controlled and more erratic. Inuyasha wasn’t so far gone that Kagome was unable to hold onto him, but his increased pace had the lower half of her body writhing of its own accord.

“I won’t,” he assured in a rough voice, but the sound of wood breaking ceased.

An abundance of moisture had formed between the two, and Kagome’s hand was just as slippery as Inuyasha’s cock. She was so close to the edge that she did her best to keep him in place. Back and forth he moved, sliding over her clitoris almost too perfectly.

Kagome knew she was going to come soon, but she wasn’t prepared for the intensity of that orgasm. A keening wail tore from her lips as she hurtled off the edge, feeling as though she could fall forever. She was so far gone into her own pleasure that she barely registered Inuyasha reaching his peak, and he groaned repeatedly above her while spurting his release onto her belly, and the underside of her breasts and chin.

Her body trembled long after she came back to earth, and Kagome realized that she’d been clutching Inuyasha with legs and one arm against her the entire time.

“Don’t start that, woman, not unless you want me to fall asleep on top of you just like this,” he murmured against Kagome’s cheek. She’d been running her fingertips over his shoulders when his body immediately fell slack against her.

“I don’t mind,” she replied softly, and he chuckled.

“You say that now, but you’ll be pissed once this stuff dries.” He forced himself up with a groan, and Kagome recoiled slightly when cool air hit her damp, sticky skin. “It’s my mess, I’ll clean it. You got a cloth or something?”

Kagome told him where to find one, and kept still while waiting. She wanted to get comfortable but didn’t want to get anything on her sheets.

Inuyasha was back in record timing with a damp washcloth, and carefully wiped Kagome’s skin clean. Once he was through with himself, he moved into place beside Kagome but she made him lay the way they were before. He complained about being too heavy for her but settled himself in the cradle of her hips anyway, resting his head between her breasts.

“I’m too heavy for you,” he insisted again, falling silent the moment she started gently stroking his hair and ears.

It wasn’t long before Inuyasha fell asleep, and it was Kagome’s turn to stay awake for a while. Eventually she drifted off, her hand still cradling the back of his head.

Hours later, Kagome awoke and found herself on her side with Inuyasha’s arm around her waist, his chest pressed against her back. He was also sound asleep, and it took a few seconds for her to realize they were both completely naked beneath the sheets.

Kagome told herself she ought to get up, but knew opportunities to sleep in like this with Inuyasha would be far and few in between. Besides, it was comfortable lying there like this with him; the feeling of his breath was warm against the nape of her neck, and his hand was relaxed against her belly, his claws barely a whisper on her skin.

Exploring one another in the most intimate places multiple times in her darkened bedroom had been sublime, and Kagome hoped there would be a repeat. But to have Inuyasha sleeping next to her, naked without a care in a world, required another level of trust and she was touched that he’d shared that with her. Many times, she wished he would outright say how he felt about her, but she’d reminded herself that actions spoke louder than words, and this time was proof of the saying.

Kagome was broken out of her thoughts when Inuyasha’s arm tightened against her, and she felt him stir behind her.

“You awake?”

“If I say yes, does that mean you’ll move?” Kagome asked.

“Do you want me to move?”

Right after his question, Inuyasha began kissing her shoulder and lightly dragging his fingertips down her arm.

“No,” she said mournfully, “but I’m hungry. Also we do need to go shopping and I promised you snacks.”

“Oh yeah.”

Kagome begrudgingly withdrew from his embrace and stood up. It was the first time she’d slept completely naked and that felt weird enough, but knowing that Inuyasha was in her bed equally naked made her cheeks go pink. She bashfully kept her head lowered while redressing in her pajamas, chancing a glance in his direction to see that his cheeks were also flushed.

She excused herself to freshen up in the bathroom. When she returned Inuyasha was dressed in his usual clothes, sitting atop her bed that looked as though he’d tried to make it.

“So, uh, I think I did break your bed a little,” he mumbled as Kagome began dressing. She perched next to him on the bed and examined her headboard, feeling claw marks in the back of it. Two even divots in the shape of his thumbs’ claws were embedded in the front.

“It’s not that bad,” Kagome replied, laughing when she saw the shock on Inuyasha’s face. He clearly expected her to fly off the handle like she’d done in the past when he destroyed other things around her home. “Besides, it was worth it. Now come on, we need breakfast before going anywhere.”

* * *

“Where are the joggers you wore yesterday?” Kagome asked after breakfast. “I’ll put them in with my laundry.”

“How are you going to wash them?” Inuyasha asked after darting upstairs and returning in record timing with the pants. “There’s no river around here.”

“I’m going to use the washing machine,” Kagome explained, leading him to the area that housed their washer and dryer.

Inuyasha was fascinated by the entire process of her adding the clothes and laundry soap to the machine and turning it on. He was momentarily startled for a moment when the agitator began moving and she had to throw a hand on his Tessaiga sheath while yelling that it was supposed to make that sound.

An hour later the two left Kagome’s house to go shopping. Inuyasha didn’t complain that time, and she suspected it had everything to do with the large selection of ramen at the supermarket. He did grumble when they bought too much, and Kagome pointed out that he wanted to eat noodles for every meal. There were more complaints when Kagome reminded him that they needed to get more crayons and toys for Shippo.

“I’m tired of traipsing all over your village! Why do we need to get anything else for that brat?” Inuyasha fussed. “It’s not like he won’t be stuffing half this food into his gullet once we get back.”

“But we promised, Inuyasha!”

“ _We_ didn’t promise anything.”

_“Inuyasha!”_

“Fine! You win, let’s just make this quick.”

 _You are so full of it, mister,_ Kagome thought as Inuyasha’s amber eyes went wide as he took in the brightly colored items in the shop. In the end, Inuyasha ended up picking out all the toys while Kagome chose the crayons.

“Are you hungry yet?” Kagome asked, watching Inuyasha pause in the middle of the sidewalk to sniff the air.

“Yeah, I could eat.”

“Okay, one last place and I promise you’ll like it.”

Before Inuyasha could protest, Kagome began explaining the concept of kaiten-zushi. She wasn’t surprised when that made Inuyasha ask more questions, and she told him he’d understand better once he saw it.

_I know I always thought about what going on a date with Inuyasha would be like. This isn’t really a date but still, it’s nice… Even if he’s being weird._

She had to pull him along continuously once they were inside the restaurant. It didn’t help that he stopped to gawk at everything, and in turn the patrons shot curious looks at the young man in traditional clothing and bandanna.

Once they were seated, Kagome sighed as Inuyasha leaned forward to sniff the rotating plates of sushi on the conveyor belt. Then he felt the need to continuously touch the belt as it moved. _Then_ he wanted to play with all the little buttons on the ordering screen at their table. She had to beg him to stop so as not to draw attention, and also before he accidentally ordered 10,384 yen worth of food. Thankfully he became enthralled with watching her fiddle with the cups and tiny pot of ground matcha on the table, and paid rapt attention as she fixed them steaming cups of tea.

“This is amazing!” Inuyasha exclaimed after taking his first bite of salmon sashimi. “Now I see why you like coming back to your time so often.”

“Umm, I don’t really come here that much,” Kagome admitted under her breath.

“Why not?”

“Because I feel silly going on my own.”

“Huh? Why not go with those weird girls you know?”

“What weird gir­­—oh, you mean Ayumi, Eri and Yuka?”

“I guess, yeah. Forgot their names.”

“They don’t really like sushi. One other person did ask me but...” Kagome trailed off, remembering that Hojo was who asked her. She’d accepted and then ended up flaking on him due to who else? Her idiot in red sitting across from her, who now paused from shoveling food into his mouth to hear about the ‘one other person’.

“But what?!”

“But I didn’t want to.”

“Who was it? That Mojo bouzo from your school?”

“Inuyasha!! Geez, will you keep your voice down? Yes, _Hojo_ but I didn’t come with him either.”

“Oh yeah? And why’s that?”

Inuyasha tried to sound as though he didn’t care, but Kagome saw right through his little act.

“Because I had a rendezvous already planned with another guy.”

Inuyasha had the nerve to stop chewing and glared at her.

“I’m talking about you, Inuyasha. Duh! Who else would I mean?”

It was no surprise that he refused to outright admit to being pleased by her reply, but Kagome didn’t miss the faint blush that appeared on his face.

Their conversation was quickly forgotten when another small plate of salmon sushi began making its way toward their table on the conveyor belt, and Inuyasha gleefully snatched it up. He looked happy as a four-year-old and Kagome shook her head, even though she was happy that their outing was going better than she expected.


End file.
